Half to thomas e



. (No Model.)

J. S. GONNELLY.

AUTOMATIC GAS GOVERNOR.

- N0.-316,945. Patented May 5, 1885.

M 1111B 5 5 E5- JOHN S. CONNELLY, OF PITTSBURG,

PATENT enten.

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGN OF ONE- HALF TO THOMAS E. CONNELLY, OF SAME PLACE.

AUTOMATIC GAS-GOVERNOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 316,945, dated May 5,1885.

Application filed January 16, 1885. (N0 model.)

To (ZZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN S. GQNNELLY, of the city of Pittsburg, inthecounty of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Gas- Governors; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My present invention relates to improvements in automatic gas-governors,whereby the valve is rendered more sensitive, and its tendency tovibrate under the gas-pressure when used in extensive lines of mainpipes is obviated. In this respect it is an improvement on the deviceshown in my Patent No. 297,113, dated April 22, 1884, which, while ofgreater precision in lines of moderate length and capacity, develops atendency to vibrate in more extended or larger lines.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willnow describe it by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of my improved governor. Fig. 2 isan enlarged view of the mercury-cups. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of thevalve and seat.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts 7 in each.

In the drawings, a indicates the main leading from the gasometer, a theSSIVlCGIlJHlD, and b the valve-chamber of the governor. In thevalve-chamber b is a diaphragm, e, in which is a balanced valve, 0,composed of two disks, 0 a, mounted on a stem or rod, (1, andcontrolling the valveopenings e. The disks 0 0 each have a cylindricalbody and a radially-projecting flange, 0", extending around the edge.The valve-openings e each have an inwardly projecting flange, eextending around the lower edge, of such diameter as to fill the openingnicely, and at the same time capable of passing through it.' When, inthe movement of the valve, the flanges c of the disks 0 are opposite theflanges 6 the valve is closed, and when the flanges c are below theflanges e the valve is partially open, and no increase in the area ofthe openings will take place until the disks have passed entirelythrough the valve-openings e.

Secured to the upper side of the valvechamber 6 is a tubular casing, g,which sustains a float-chamber, h, containing water or other liquid, andfitting loosely in the chamber h, so as to rise and fall therein, is afloat, i. A central tube, 71/, extends from the bottom of the chamber hup to a point above the level of the liquid therein.

Secured between the flanges of the valvechamber b and the casing g is aplate or disk,

f, from which a tube, it, rises and extends up through and above thetube h. The plate f has a central hole, f, of sufficient size for thepassage of the valve-stem d, which stem extends up through it andthrough the tube 7c,float Land bail or yoke Z to the end of the lever m,to which it is pivotally fastened.

Surmounting the chamber h is a yoke or bail, Z, at one side of which isa vertical arm or standard, Z, upon which the weighted valvelever m ispivoted.

Journaled on the yoke Z are pulleys n 11., preferably two on each side,suspended on which, by means of two chains, n n, are two cups, 1) q, theinner ends of the chains being connected to the inner cup, 19, and theouter ends to the cup q. These cups are designed to hold mercury, andeach has sufficient capacity to contain the entire quantity of mercuryused. They are connected by means of a flexible tube, 8, by which themercury can pass from one to the other. The inner cup, p,is fastened tothe valve-stem d, as also is the float 2' at i.

Passing through the top of the float i is an oiling'tube, t, which isbent so as to form a seal at t, and has its inner end turned downwardover the flaring mouth or upper end of the tube h, so as to dischargetherein. The outer end of the tube 25 is preferably closed by a stopperor cap.

When it is desired to oil the valve-stem, the stopper or cap is removedand the oil is poured into the outer end of the tube, by which it isdischarged into the tube k. The oil remaining in the bend t acts as aseal, and prevents the escape of the gas from the float through the tubewhen the latter is opened for the purpose of oiling.

Connected to the valve-chamber b at a point beyond the valve 0 is apipe, 0, controlled by a valve, 0, which pipe extends upward and entersthe side of the casing 9. An annular opening or passage, 9, extends fromthe chamber g up between the tubes h and k and opens into the float i.Thus communication is established between the service-main a and thefloat i by means of the pipe 0, chamber 9, and passage 9', so that thepressure in the servicemain may act on the float and the variations ofsuch pressure regulate the position of the valve 0. The chamber 9 isprovided with a drain-cock, 9

In the distribution of illuminating-gas the governor, when notautomatic, requires to be adjusted to meet the exigencies of twodifferent and widely-varying pressuresviz., the day-pressure, which,being designed to supply the small demand of the daylight-hours, iscomparatively very low, and the nightpressure, which must be sufiicientto supply every burner on the line. If the night-pressure is kept on themains during the daylight period, the loss by leakage is great, andhence it has been customary to adjust the valve so that when the floatis free to act it shall stand normally at the day-pressure, and then toobtain the night-pressure by placing weights on the valve-stem, so as todepress the valve. These weights are removed when the necessity forahigh pressure passes, and the valve then returns to its normal position.In my Patent No. 297,113 I obtained an automatic operation of the valveby an improved application of a counterweighted pivoted lever, which wasrendered more sensitive and effective by providing a valve having a longrun in its seat before passing out of the same to give thenightpressure. As stated, my present invention is an improvement on thelatter. The rationale of the operation of a governor is as follows: Thevalve being in position to supply the day-pressure, any diminution ofpressure in the service-main a produced by additional lights will permitthe float to descend, because it is sustained by the pressure of the gasin the service-main acting through the pipe 0, and thereby open thevalve sufficiently to admit the requisite quantity and pressure of gasto the service-main to supply the increased demand thereon. Anyreduction of demand on the service-main caused by the turning out ofsome of the lights supplied thereby causes the float to act in theopposite direction and close the valve sufficiently to reduce the supplyto correspond with the reduced demand.

The operation of my improvement is as follows, viz: As shown in Fig. 1,the parts are in position for daylight-pressure. The cup g, being belowthe cup 19, contains all the mercury, the weight of which contributes tothe counter-weight m in sustaining the valve 0 in position. A reductionof pressure in the service-main a causes the valve to descend. It moveswith little or no increase of pressure until the lower surfaces of thedisks 0 and the upper surfaces of the diaphragm e are in the samehorizontal plane, as shown in Fig. 3, when the cups 1) and q will be onthe same level and the mercury evenly divided between them, as shown inFig. 2. The further descent of the valve causes the disks 0 to clear theopenings e and gradually throw the night-pressure on the service-main.It also causes the entire quantity of mercury to be transferred to the-cup 1;, so as to weight the valve against the increased pressure in theservice-main and hold it open. When the pressure in the service-maindiminishes by the turning off of the lights during the late hours of theevening, the valve 0 is gradually restored to its normal position, andthe mercury gradually transferred to the cup q, as in Fig. 1, when itsweight aids in sustaining instead of depressing the valve.

My improved governor is very sensitive'and precise in its operation, andentirely automatic. It is applicable withv the same good results togas-distribution plants of all sizes, and is not subject to thevibration before mentioned.

I can use any other suitable transferable weight medium instead of themercury; but I prefer it on account of its weight, fluidity, andnon-evaporating property.

WVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. In a gas-governor, the combination of a valve, valve-stein, and floatwith compensating fluid-Weight vessels having a flexible connection, oneof which is fastened to the valvestem and connected to the other bychains passing over suitable sheaves, substantially as and for thepurposes described.

2. In a gas-governor, the combination of a float, a tube projecting upthrough the float, and avalve-rod extending throughsaid tube, with anoiling-pipe, provided with a trap or sealing-bend, extending through theshell of the float, and terminating over the end of the valve-stem tube,substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 6th day ofJanuary, A. D. 1885.

JOHN S. GONNELLY.

WVitnesses:

W. B. CoRwIN, THOMAS W. BAKEWELL.

